The Impact of Food Packaging Design on Users’ Perception of Green Awareness

Ruohui Li and Hanjing Li ()
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Ruohui Li: College of Furnishings and Industrial Design, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Hanjing Li: Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 18, 1-19

Abstract: Food packaging is a crucial domain of green design and serves as an important channel for conveying green concepts to consumers. Effective packaging design not only achieves environmental sustainability but also fosters green awareness among consumers, promoting sustainable development. Therefore, it is essential to explore the relationship between food packaging design and consumers’ perception of green concepts. To enhance the influence of food packaging on consumers’ green awareness and stimulate their environmentally conscious behaviors, this study employs a literature review and case analysis to extract the key elements of green design in food packaging and the common green concepts they convey. Using the conjoint analysis method (CAM), various combinations of representative elements were established and used to design sample packaging. Through questionnaire evaluation and user interviews, the study examined the differences in the strength of influence that various elements and their combinations have on consumers’ perception of green concepts. The results reveal that, among all factors affecting consumers’ perception of green concepts in food packaging, color is the most effective and direct way to communicate green information and evoke green awareness. This is followed by material, structure, text, and patterns. The combination of material and structure is the most effective way for users to perceive green concepts, while the combination of color and structure is the least effective. Consumers are most likely to associate biodegradable materials with green concepts. This study furtherly elucidates the relationship between green food packaging design and consumers’ green awareness and offers practical design strategies for embedding green concepts in food packaging by focusing on the selection of color, material, and structure to express different types of green ideas.

Keywords: food packaging; design elements; green ideas; user perception (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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